View source for Armbrust

{{Short description|Recoilless anti-tank gun}}
{{for|the surname|Armbrust (surname)}}
{{Infobox weapon
|name= Armbrust
|image= Armbrust rocket launcher photo Iraq OIG.jpg
|image_size = 300
|caption=An Armbrust launcher 
|origin= [[West Germany]]
|type=[[Recoilless rifle|Recoilless gun]]
<!-- Type selection -->
|is_ranged=yes
|is_bladed=
|is_explosive=yes
|is_artillery=
|is_vehicle=
|is_UK=
<!-- Service history -->
|service=
|used_by=See ''[[#Operators|Operators]]''
|wars=[[Cambodian–Vietnamese War]] <br>[[Croatian War of Independence]] <br>[[Slovenian War of Independence]] <br>[[Kosovo War]] <br>[[Cambodian–Thai border stand-off]] <br>[[2013 Lahad Datu standoff]]{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}
<!-- Production history -->
|designer=[[Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm]] (MBB)
|design_date=
|manufacturer=Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB)<br>Pouderies Réunies de Belgique (PRB)<br>[[ST Kinetics]] (STK)
|production_date=
|number=
|variants=Armbrust AT, Armbrust AP, Armbrust Ub, Armbrust SC
<!-- General specifications -->
|weight={{convert|6.3|kg|lboz|abbr=on|lk=on}}
|length={{convert|850|mm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|part_length=
|width={{convert|126|mm|abbr=on}}
|height={{convert|140|mm|abbr=on}}
|crew=
<!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
|cartridge=
|caliber={{convert|67|mm|abbr=on}}
|action=Recoilless weapon
|rate=
|velocity={{convert|210|m/s|abbr=on}}
|range={{convert|300|m|abbr=on}}
|max_range={{convert|1500|m|abbr=on}}
<!-- |penetration=300 mm armoured steel -->
|feed=Single shot
|sights=Reticle, externally illuminated for night
}}

'''Armbrust''' (German: ''[[Crossbow]]'') is a lightweight unguided [[anti-tank weapon]] designed and developed by [[Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm]] of Germany, who later sold its manufacturing rights to Chartered Industries of Singapore (the predecessor of [[ST Kinetics]]).

==Overview==
[[File:ARMBRUST-MATADOR Comparison.JPG|thumb|left|Comparing the Armbrust (top) and MATADOR (bottom)]]
[[File:Armbrust projectile Iraq OIG.jpg|thumb|left|An Armbrust 67 mm projectile (via Iraq OIG)]]

The Armbrust is a [[Recoilless rifle|recoilless weapon]], and is one of the few weapons of this kind that may safely be fired in an enclosed space. The [[propellant]] charge is placed between two [[piston]]s with the [[projectile]] in front of one and a mass of shredded [[plastic]] in the rear. Unlike most recoilless weapons, it is a true counter-shot weapon, as the mass of the projectile is equal to the mass of the counterweight and they are ejected from the [[gun barrel|barrel]] at the same initial [[velocity]]. When the weapon is fired, the propellant expands, pushing the two pistons out. The projectile is forced out of the front and the plastic out of the back. The plastic disperses on leaving the back of the barrel, and is quickly stopped by [[air resistance]]. The pistons jam at either end of the barrel, locking the hot gases inside. Its warhead can penetrate up to 300&nbsp;mm of [[steel]] armor.<ref>Jane's Infantry Weapons 1995-96, page 318, edited by T. Gander and I. Hogg, {{ISBN|0-7106-1241-9}}</ref>

Since 2004, Armbrusts have gradually been replaced by the Israeli-German-[[Singapore]] co-developed [[MATADOR]].<ref name="MINDEF1">{{cite press release |title=Factsheet - MATADOR: Unguided Short Range Anti-Armour Weapon (SRAAW) |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (Singapore)|Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF)]] |date=15 June 2005 |url=http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2004/sep/04sep04_nr/04sep04_fs.html |access-date=16 June 2011 |archive-date=22 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022191938/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2004/sep/04sep04_nr/04sep04_fs.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Combat use==
During the [[Cambodian–Vietnamese War]], Armbrust was supplied to the Cambodian [[Khmer Rouge]]. It was used in their fight against the Cambodian government, as well as against [[People's Army of Vietnam|Vietnamese Army]].<ref>[[New Straits Times]]: ''Khmer Rouge using Missiles made in West'', March, 12. 1994</ref><ref>[[Die Zeit]], Michael Sontheimer: ''Die Mörder kehren zurück'', January, 12. 1990 (German)</ref> Cuban troops in Angola captured several Armbrust launchers from UNITA during the late 1980s.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Furlong |first1=Robert D.M. |title=US anti-tank missile developments. |journal=Armada International |date=Feb 1, 1990}}</ref>

==Operators==
<!--READ FIRST: This section is for cited entries only. Please do not add entries into this list without a citation from a reliable source. All entries without a citation will be removed. Thank you.-->

[[File:Armbrust operators.png|thumb|400px|Map with Armbrust operators in blue]]
[[File:Armbrust rocket launcher line drawing Iraq OIG.jpg|thumb|300px|Line drawing of the Armbrust (via Iraq OIG)]]
{{Externalimage
|topic=Armbrust 1980s brochure photos
|float=right
|image1=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/INFANTRY/CROSSBOW/crossbow-infantry1-small.jpg Soldier firing Armbrust]
|image2=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/INFANTRY/CROSSBOW/crossbow-illustration-cutaway-small.jpg Details of Armbrust and cut-away drawing]
|image3=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/INFANTRY/CROSSBOW/crossbow-description-firing-small.jpg Details of firing of Armbrust low launch signature]
|image4=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/INFANTRY/CROSSBOW/crossbow-projectile-small.jpg Details of Armbrust anti-armour and anti-personnel projectiles]
}}

===Current operators===
*{{flag|Brunei}}<ref name="jones2009">Jones, Richard D. ''Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010''. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). {{ISBN|978-0-7106-2869-5}}.</ref>
*{{flag|Cambodia}}<ref name="jones2009"/>
*{{flag|Chile}}<ref name="jones2009"/>
*{{flag|Indonesia}}: ''[[Kopaska|Komando Pasukan Katak]]'' (Kopaska) tactical diver group and ''[[Kopassus|Komando Pasukan Khusus]]'' (Kopassus) special forces group.<ref name="idnvojnik">{{cite web|url=http://www.hrvatski-vojnik.hr/hrvatski-vojnik/1612007/ind.asp |title=Kopassus & Kopaska - Specijalne Postrojbe Republike Indonezije |language=Croatian |publisher=Hrvatski Vojnik Magazine |access-date=2010-06-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822145526/http://www.hrvatski-vojnik.hr/hrvatski-vojnik/1612007/ind.asp |archive-date=2010-08-22 }}</ref>
*{{flag|Philippines}}: [[Philippine Army]], [[Philippine Marine Corps]], [[Presidential Security Group]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Armbrust in the AFP|url=http://www.timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=4229.0|access-date=6 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106180402/http://www.timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=4229.0|archive-date=6 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*{{flag|Singapore}}<ref name="jones2009"/>
*{{flag|Slovenia}}<ref name="jones2009"/>
*{{flag|Thailand}}

==See also==
*{{lwc|PzF 44}}
*{{lwc|Panzerfaust 3}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Infantry-Weapons/ST-Kinetics-Armbrust-short-range-anti-armour-weapon-Singapore.html Jane's: ST Kinetics Armbrust short-range anti-armour weapon]
*[http://world.guns.ru/grenade/gl33-e.htm Armbrust antitank grenade launcher - Modern Firearms] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815052302/http://world.guns.ru/grenade/gl33-e.htm |date=2010-08-15 }}

[[Category:Weapons of Germany]]
[[Category:Weapons of Singapore]]
[[Category:Cold War anti-tank rockets of Germany]]
[[Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1970s]]